Consumer demand continues to drive the semiconductor industry to seek semiconductor device technologies that provide integrated circuits with enhanced performance and increased density. Three-dimensional semiconductor device technologies have been proposed and developed to meet such demand. For example, fin-type semiconductor devices, such as fin-type field-effect transistors (FinFETs) can include three-dimensional fin structures extending from a semiconductor substrate, and offer an alternative to planar transistors in advanced complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology nodes. In particular, the three-dimensional fin structures can include active semiconductor device regions, allowing for improved short-channel effect immunity and enhanced device current density.
However, fabrication of three-dimensional semiconductor device structures can be quite challenging, and using standard fabrication techniques can lead to device failures, increasing fabrication cost. Therefore, a need exists for fabrication processes that are compatible with three-dimensional semiconductor device structures.